Left Behind
by cdcase
Summary: Oneshot mangabased. While fighting alone through Ganon's Castle, Link realizes that when he awakened the sages, they had to leave him for the Sacred Realm. He wonders if the Seventh Sage, Zelda, will do the same. First Fic Ever!


Summary: Manga-based. Slight Zelink. When scaling Ganon's Castle, Link recalls than when he released the seals on the sages, they all had to leave him and Hyrule behind to become the celestial beings that inhabit the Sacred Realm. He wonders if he'll ever see them again.

* * *

When he entered Ganon's Castle, it occurred to him how just alone he really was. He hadn't noticed it at first, but as time progressed Link gradually realized what was happening…

* * *

His best childhood friend Saria: the Forest Sage. She seemed so… _mortal_ back then. Link never suspected that the green-haired child was something much more. But then again, Saria always had a strange connection to the forest. Her song—Saria's Song—she had derived from listening to the forest. Link wondered if she had any clue back then that she was in fact the Forest's Sage. 

After lifting the curse on the Temple by defeating Ganon's Shadow, Saria appeared to her from one of the purified pictures. Her voice was faint and gentle, and her eyes bore more than seven years of sadness.

"_Link, thank you; now the Koriki Forest can return to normal," she floated, transparent in green light. "Because the seal was vanquished, I was able to awaken as a Sage."_

"_Saria, you're the Sage of the Forest?" Link asked, surprised. Link thought that all the Sages were old men like Rauru._

_The Forest Sage nodded. "Therefore, I can no longer continue in this world, but I will be here to continue to save Hyrule and you, Link," she said slowly as if bearing bad news. "Even if we part, we'll be friends, forevermore… right?" _

_A memory of them dancing to Saria's Song flashed though Link mind. It made him smile, "Yep."_

_Saria smiled back as she faded away. Link simply stood there, looking into the picture on the Temple wall._

Link heard her distant voice by playing her song, but he never saw her again.

* * *

His "brother," Darunia: the Fire Sage. The hearty Goron had a temper when Link first met him, but they quickly became like family. Defeating Volgaria had shaken Link. As a child, he had bought the baby dragon at a market for seventy rupees, and then set it free. The dragon followed Link around until the child hero had to leave for Zora's Domain. After a gruesome, heated fight, Link decapitated the warped dragon. His friend died in agony, but the leader of the Gorons was freed. All the Sage of Fire needed was just one look at Link, and he could tell what had happened. 

"_Thank you, brother," Darunia said, a hot red aura floating about him. "As a representative of the entire tribe, I thank you."_

_His son, named Link, leapt for joy when he saw his father. "Daddy!" he cried as he moved forward to embrace Darunia, but the young Goron stopped abruptly when he saw his disappearing form. "D-Dad's the Sage of Fire?!" he asked, distraught. The Gorons around him cheered in delight and pride for having a Sage from one of their own._

_Darunia spoke towards the beaten and brunt Link, "It seems it was a tough time for ya."_

_Link kept his chin held high, frowning, but said nothing._

"_I understand your feelings well," the Fire Sage said with his gruff voice, glancing at his son. "So, stay here and cool your head a while."_

_Link was still silent._

"_If you erupt, you cannot beat him," Darunia added sternly. He said that not as brother, but as mentor, as a Sage._

I cannot forgive Ganondorf!_ Link thought about the poor dragon. It had whispered Link's name just as it died. But the croaking voice was engulfed in flames, never too be heard again. Slowly, but determined, Link said, "I understand, Darunia."_

At that moment, Link knew even though Darunia called themselves "brothers," the Fire Sage was too distant then on to be described as kin.

* * *

Princess Zelda's nurse, Impa: the Shadow Sage. When Link had arrived in Kakariko Village, he got the impression that the Sheikah had already awakened as a Sage. While staying at the village, Impa taught Link how to fight properly. The Shadow appeared, and took Link's form. Defeating it just as himself was fairly easy, but then the dark entity took the form of Link riding on Epona. A jousting game began, but in the end, Link destroyed it with the benevolence of the Master Sword. Impa and the villagers were looking on. 

"_Well done, you defeated your Shadow beautifully," Impa complimented, smiling ever so slightly. _

_Link sat down at a nearby stool, amazed and scared at himself for what he just done. For the Shadow to take his form meant that he did indeed have darkness inside._

"_Don't be sorry," Impa quietly said, standing closely behind him._

"_Okay…," Link replied, content with the Shekiah's reassurance. Suddenly he had a sharp pain in his left ear… He cried out in surprised and looked up at Impa, wanting an answer. There was a weight on his cartilage_

_The Shekiah looked over him. Something was glinting in her eyes: pride, perhaps? In her hand were a string and a sharp needle. "Though you're not of the Sheikah Tribe," she said, "this is a rite of passage for young Sheikiah men."_

_Link realized that his ear was now pierced and a simple golden hoop dangled from the skin._

"_You've truly become splendid, Link," Impa said._

When Link was leaving the village, Impa stayed back, claiming that she needed to seal the well. The hero knew that meant that she would forfeit her material body and take her place in the Sacred Realm. He wondered when she disappeared from the village, and what she told the inhabitants.

* * *

His would-be fiancé, Princess Ruto: the Water Sage. The Zora had guided Link though the Water Temple. He was surprised how noble Ruto had grown in the past seven years. She had asked him for assistance against the monsters plaguing the Temple, in the name of her "annoying pop" and Zora's Domain. With the help of his hookshot, Link easily took care of Morpha, and the seal on the Temple was broken. 

_Ruto shined with a bluish radiance as she broke free of Morpha's liquid prison. Her head was held high, and her eyes wide as the thousand-year-old secrets of water rushed into her being. "Oh, Link," she said freely, smiling confidently. "You've done well…now the frozen Zora's Domain will surely return to normal…"_

_Seeing the Zora Princess so…dignified made Link feel proud to be her friend. He couldn't help but smile as he said, "Princess Ruto, you are also one of the Sages?"_

"_Indeed," the Princess said, floating lazily slightly above him. "You've only chosen me as your fiancé," she state matter-of-factly. "Now, let us finally pledge our marriage vows…"_

_Link was taken aback, but then saw the small, mischievous, smile creep onto Ruto lips. That was the Ruto he knew. "Which is what I'd like to say, but I have my duty as the Sage of Water…"she informed._

"_Oh, okay…how, uh, disappointing," Link commented, relieved._

_Ruto smiled knowingly, "Where art thou headed now?"_

"_To the desert," Link smiled back as she disappeared._

Link wondered if Ruto was relieved that she did not have to marry anyways. Her father wanted to arrange a marriage only if Ruto couldn't find someone herself. When Link had saved her from Jabu Jabu's bowels, she probably found him the most suitable person…that, and she did have a crush on him at the time. Link wondered if Ruto would like being a Sage: never having to marry…flowing free as a river.

* * *

Link first met Nabooru when she was still brainwashed by Twinrova. By cracking the jewel on her forehead, she was released from their control. When facing the twin witches, he had a difficult time until the Gerudo thief had thrown him the mirror shield. Later he discovered that Nabrooru had plundered the Spirit Temple of that treasure long before. The Gerudo then decided to aide Link in the battle against Ganondorf. She and some of her cavalry even rode with him to the Dark King's castle. 

"_Below is a stream of Lava…," Nabooru said, looking down into the fiery pit below. "How are we supposed to get across?"_

_They heard a voice. "Link… hero Link! And, Nabooru…"_

_Link heard that voice before, "Rauru?!" He scanned the dark sky._

_Rauru's echoing voice spoke to the Gerudo: "Nabooru, your seal has been released a while now; awaken as the Sage of Spirit!" _

_Beside Link, where Nabooru was, was a yellow flash of light. The Gerudo who said she'd help in taking down their "King" was enveloped in a heavenly light. She was surprised, to say the least, of her awakening. "I-I'm the Spirit Sage, you say?"_

"_Nabooru!" He shoute, as she disappeared._

_In his head her voice spoke, "Link, I regret not being able to fight by your side, but I will support you from now on. So, good luck!"_

The hero could only hold his head high as he walked the celestial bridge alone.

* * *

His legs were aching, his heart was pounding. He was exhausted, but he could not waste any more time. Not while Hyrule's rightful heir was being held captive. Now, fighting up the stairs, Link thought, _As the seventh Sage, when all this is over, will she leave too? _

He hoped that wasn't the case. If he beat Ganondorf—_I will beat him! I must!_—then Hyrule would need a ruler. If Zelda wasn't there to govern, then the people would never unite again! They needed a stable government—not a tyrant like Ganondorf. Without one, Hyrule would be back in the old days: random and temporary dictators looking for the Triforce, taking control and then getting assassinated by another.

Hyrule needed a backbone to hold them up, someone to give them hope, to protect their lands, to give insurance, someone to make them proud to live in the blessed land. Link could not think of anyone else better suited for the job than Zelda. _The Goddesses would never allow Hyrule to plummet into turmoil for another seven years! And that's why… that why she can't…leave… _Link thought frantically.

The hero slowed his pace, and caught his breath. He realized that there was no way around it. To defeat Ganondorf in the first place, the Seventh Sage was needed. And right now, Link—no, all of Hyrule—needed to defeat the so-called King of Thieves. Link became frustrated.

His fairy noticed.

The glowing being fluttered around her charge and caught Link's attention. Somehow, Navi knew what he was thinking. "Link, you're thinking inside of the box."

Link huffed, still catching his breath. He felt beaten.

"Your friends are the Sages," Navi said softly. "Don't you think that they're just as disheartened as you?"

"But they can't do anything," Link said, "They—"

"They'll find a way," Navi interrupted. "No doubt Zelda will. She doesn't hold the Triforce of Wisdom for nothing."

A small, hopeful smile came to Link's lips. But he had to ask, "Navi… you won't leave, will you?"

The fairy hovered by his head for a second. "No, no I won't," she told him.

There was a moment of silence.

Then Link stood up and drew his sword. "Navi, I realize that it doesn't matter if I'll be alone or not. I first started fighting for the Great Deku Tree, and then for Hyrule itself," Link said.

"And to save Zelda," he added even more softly. "So, as long as I accomplish those goals; it doesn't matter."

Navi was silent for another moment, and then said, "It'll be a happy ending, I'm sure of it."

Link turned to his fairy, "Thanks, Navi. I appreciate it."

The Hero of Time raced up the stairs.

End.

* * *

There's one inconsistancy to this story, though: the manga never mentions Zelda as being the Seventh Sage, as it does in the OoT game. lol

Read 'n Review, please!


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